By Jennifer Erdmann
I've been a dietitian for over 20 years. If anyone should understand how to eat right and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle, it should be me... right?
Unfortunately, I inherited a fantastic metabolism. Why is this unfortunate? From a very early age, I learned I could eat anything I wanted without suffering any nasty side effects... or so I thought.
By the time I was a teenager, I thrived on the attention I received for eating an entire large pizza or two Big Macs, while secretly thinking how lucky I was to be able to eat and eat without gaining an ounce. This pattern continued into my early 20's when I started my career as a dietitian. That's when I realized my weight was slowly starting to creep higher and higher.
... but that was OK... I discovered running... the more I ran, the more I could eat... and once again I didn't have to think about the consequences of what I put in my mouth. I was THAT dietitian, the one that said "Do as I say, not as I do."
I preached the importance of making a life style change. If I said it once, I said it 100 times. "Don't think of this as a diet, a diet implies something short term. A diet suggests that once you accomplish your goals you can go back to your same old eating habits. Think of it as a lifestyle change... something that sticks with you for life."
Every time I said it, I would think to myself... "Hello! Wake up!... this doesn't just apply to your clients"... but the fact is I didn't want to believe that the lifestyle changes applied to me. I wanted to keep on doing the same old, same old without putting in too much extra effort.
Then came my early 30' and I realized that I was 20 lbs heavier than I was in my 20's. At the same time I started to develop some pain the butt health issues that ranged from joint pain to serious GI distress. I slowly started to realize that I had to make a change... a lifestyle change.
Fast forward to my early 40's... today I am no longer plagued by those nasty health issues and I weigh what I did in my 20's!... all by simply making lifestyle changes.
My transformation didn't happen overnight (and yours won't either). As a matter of fact it takes daily, mindful attention.
Learn from me, making minor (or temporary) changes gets you no further down the road in the long run than where you are today. In order to accomplish your goals, no matter what they are, it takes a shift in mindset and the willingness to make permanent lifestyle changes.
Here are three tips to help you shift your mindset and start implementing meaningful weight & lifestyle changes that help ensure your accomplishments stick with you for your lifetime.
1) Write down what motivates you to make the change. What is your big motivating factor (BMF)? Go deep! Do you want to be able to run and play in the back yard with the kids? Do you want to be proud of yourself and feel confident in your body? Really think about what it is that motivates you to want to change. Chances are it is not simply to lose 10 lbs, there is something more beneath the surface.
2) Mentally attach your BMF to something tangible. What is something close to you that every time you see, touch, hear, or feel will remind you of your BMF? Choose something that is positive and will remind you 'WHY' you are making the change. (e.g. wedding ring)
3) Connect with your tangible item. Ask yourself each time you come in contact with your item if you are making the best choice for yourself in the moment. If you are, great... if you aren't learn from it and move on.
Shifting your mindset and changing your lifestyle results in a happier, healthier you... for life... and guess what... you can still have your cake and eat it too!
Jennifer Erdmann is a registered dietitian and holistic health coach who inspires and teaches women how to get off the diet roller coaster and lose that stubborn weight that just won't go away while balancing taking care of themselves with work and family... all without feeling deprived, spending hours in the gym or feeling guilty about putting themselves first. Visithttp://www.FireUpYourForties.com to learn more and sign up for your free video, 'The ONE Decision'. Inside this video, you will learn: The ONE decision that will positively transform your life & 5 easy steps how start YOUR transformation now.
